6: Chapter 6 Fusu Calls for a Halt to the Great Wall Construction? The First Emperor's Wrath

The laborers were filled with excitement, but even more so with suspicion. What was the Qin Army up to, giving them three meals a day?

Under the suppression of the Qin Army, however, they could only line up in a ragged queue.

Their clothes were tattered, and they held chipped bowls; if they were each given a staff, they would look no different from disciples of the Beggar Gang.

They stared expectantly at the Qin soldiers.

When they saw buckets of millet porridge, buckets of bean leaf dough-knot soup, and baskets of Guokuei flatbread being carried before them, they could no longer remain calm.

"Gurgle..."

They stared greedily at the millet porridge, the bean leaf dough-knot soup, and the Guokuei—large flatbreads made of coarse flour—swallowing their saliva.

The crowd began to grow restless.

Those at the front were desperate to rush toward the porridge, the soup, and the flatbreads.

Those at the back, fearing they would miss out, squeezed forward with all their might.

"Stay in line! Stay in line!"

The Qin soldiers maintaining order shouted angrily.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."

They even pointed their long halberds at the laborers.

Under the deterrent of the sharp blades, the laborers' agitation gradually subsided.

Under the control of the Qin Army, the distribution of food began.

Each person received a bowl of millet porridge, a bowl of bean leaf dough-knot soup, and a large flatbread.

The first laborer to receive so much food was stunned.

He hadn't expected the Qin Army to actually distribute such a large amount of food.

The dough knots in that soup were of such high quality that he wouldn't have dared to eat them except during a festival.

And this large piece of coarse flour flatbread was something he couldn't even afford during a festival.

How could a commoner at the bottom of society like him afford such fine rations!

"This is a grace bestowed upon you by Young Master Fusu."

"Now that you've received it, move along quickly."

The Qin soldier distributing the food said, "Don't delay the next person."

"Thank you for the grace of Young Master Fusu!"

Fan Xiliang hurriedly knelt to express his gratitude.

Although he didn't know why Young Master Fusu had suddenly started giving them lunch and treating them so well.

Even if it were his last meal before execution, he wanted to eat his fill and be a well-fed ghost.

"Thank you for the grace of Young Master Fusu."

After successfully receiving a bowl of millet porridge, a bowl of soup, and a flatbread, the laborer behind Fan Xiliang also knelt on both knees in thanks.

After receiving his meal, Fan Xiliang walked to the side in high spirits, squatted on the ground, and began stuffing the flatbread into his mouth with his hands.

Even though the flatbread was made of unleavened dough and was hard enough to block an arrow, Fan Xiliang ate it with a face full of emotion.

When his mouth felt dry, Fan Xiliang took a sip of the sour and spicy bean leaf dough-knot soup.

"Delicious!"

"It's so delicious!"

Fan Xiliang was so moved that tears came to his eyes as he ate.

He was incredibly grateful to Young Master Fusu for letting him eat such flatbread; he could never repay Young Master Fusu's kindness in this lifetime!

A Centurion of the Meng Family Army stepped forward and announced, "Everyone, Young Master Fusu has ordered you to stop the construction of the Great Wall."

"You will follow our Meng Family Army to locate water sources, clear wasteland, and establish military farms."

"Young Master Fusu guarantees three meals a day, with millet porridge, bean leaf dough-knot soup, and flatbread at every meal."

When the laborers heard they would have three meals a day and eat so well, they were deeply moved.

Unless one has experienced the bitter days of drinking only thin porridge for a year, one wouldn't know how fragrant eating flatbread three times a day could be!

"Thank you, Young Master Fusu!"

"Thank you, Young Master Fusu!"

...

Row upon row of laborers knelt, shouting with tears of gratitude.

Every move Zhao Fusu made in Shangjun was quickly sent back to Xianyang City by the Shadow Guards of the Black Ice Platform via carrier pigeon.

"Report."

The dark figure said, "Young Master Fusu has halted the construction of the Great Wall and ordered the soldiers and farmers to clear wasteland for cultivation."

"What did you say!"

Ying Zheng doubted if something was wrong with his ears; he seemed to have just heard unbelievable news.

"You, you, you said Fusu stopped the construction of the Great Wall!"

Ying Zheng was so agitated that his voice began to tremble.

"That rebellious son!"

"That rebellious son!"

Ying Zheng howled with rage.

The Great Wall hadn't even started with him.

It had been under construction since the Zhou Dynasty.

The historically famous incident of King You of Zhou playing with the beacon fires to amuse his concubine happened when he discovered the Quanrong invasion on the Great Wall and lit the signal fires to notify the rear.

Building the Great Wall was an effective defensive measure for an agrarian civilization to deal with the invasions of nomadic civilizations.

The Xiongnu were like vicious wolves, launching sneak attacks from time to time, making them difficult to eradicate.

The Great Wall was a wall where the garrison on the beacon towers could see the wolves coming from a height and light the signal fires to serve as a warning.

Fusu had actually stopped the Great Wall's construction project, which was incomprehensible to Ying Zheng.

Did Fusu think he was smarter than all his ancestors?

Or did he think he could completely handle the nomadic civilizations?

Ying Zheng had the confidence and ability to destroy the Six Kingdoms, but to completely settle the nomadic civilizations—he couldn't do it; otherwise, why would he build the Great Wall?

Fusu was even clearing wasteland for farming in Shangjun.

Heavens!

What on earth was going on in his eldest son's head?

Even if he developed a large amount of farmland in Shangjun, without the Great Wall as a barrier, once the Xiongnu people came south, he would just be providing food for them.

The Xiongnu people would see it and say, 'Brother, you're such a good person, planting so much food, share some with me.'

The Xiongnu people would snatch it and run; by the time your army gathered, they would have disappeared into who-knows-where.

The First Emperor really wanted to slap himself twice; why had his brain lapsed into coming up with the terrible idea of faking his death?

He really wanted to reveal himself to the world and shout: "I am not dead yet!"

But Ying Zheng suppressed this impulse.

"When is Fusu coming to Xianyang?"

Ying Zheng was very frustrated. Fusu knew his father was dead, so why was he still staying in Shangjun? Wasn't Fusu brainwashed by that Confucian set of values? Confucianism emphasizes filial piety, so why hadn't he come to Xianyang yet?

He wanted to wait for Fusu to arrive in Xianyang, then secretly summon him to the secret chamber to give him a good scolding before sending him back to Shangjun to resume building the Great Wall.

"Reporting to Your Majesty."

The Shadow Guard replied, "Young Master Fusu will set out in a few days."

"Mm."

The First Emperor hummed in response.

He became calm again, as if his sudden fury from a moment ago had never happened.

But the back of the Shadow Guard's clothes was already soaked with sweat.

To serve a monarch is to serve a tiger; at this moment, he deeply felt the weight of those words.

Main Tent of the Meng Family Army Station, Shangjun Great Wall

Zhao Fusu placed a person-sized metal globe in the middle of the tent as a decoration and called for Meng Tian.

"Young Master Fusu, what is this?"

When Meng Tian saw the metal globe, his gaze was naturally drawn to it.

He looked at the ridges and valleys on it; it looked a bit like a map.

But he had never seen the map on it before, which made him somewhat curious.

"Just a globe."

As Zhao Fusu spoke, he gave the metal globe a spin.

"Whir, whir, whir..."

The metal globe spun, making Meng Tian feel a bit dizzy.

Zhao Fusu had no use for this metal globe for the time being; placing it here, besides being a decoration, was just for use as a toy, letting it spin whenever he felt like it, much like the Earth's rotation.

"General Meng Tian."

Zhao Fusu asked, "How are the preparations for the horses heading to Xianyang?"